Apparatus for excavating and sluicing gravel or other material.



No. 759,108. PATENTBD MAY 3, 1904. F. K. HOOVER & A. J. MASON. APPARATUSFOR EXGAVATING AND SLUIGING GRAVEL OR OTHER MATERIAL.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR-21,1 8

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Q) ig N A fl w/dons;

M @jwv PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. F. K. HOOVER & A. J; MASON. APPARATUS FOREXGAVATING AND SLUIGING GBAVEL 0R OTHER MATERIAL.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 21. 1898 2 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

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tic. 759,108.

UNITED STATES iatented May 3, 1904,

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK K. HOOVER AND ARTHUR J. MASON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR EXCAVATING AND SLUICING GRAVEL OR OTHER MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,5].08, dated May 3,1904.

Application filed March 21, 1893. Serial No. 674,633.

and other material, the same having reference more particularly to theraising and sluicing of auriferous sand and gravel from the beds ofrivers and streams bymeans of an apparatus earned on a floating barge,al-

though our improvements are also capable of use in other relations as,for instance, on

' docks and piers in raising ore, coal, and like,

material from the holds of vessels. The apparatus heretofore in use forthese purposes have certain characteristics which we desire to avoid. Inthe chain-and-bucket type the platform or support on which the apparatusis mounted must be substantially rigid and unyielding, and where thisplatform or sup port consists of a floating barge or raft the lattermust be firmly held by tackle or spuds to resist the digging energy ofthe buckets as they load. In the dipper-dredge type the same necessityexists, and in all the clam-shell types, as well as the dipper type, ithas been.

necessary to swing the excavator horizontally, so as to eifect a dumpinto a hopper or receptacle where the material may be dealt with asdesired. The strains resulting cause a rock ing side motion andnecessitate a heavy barge of large dimensions. In our invention theresultant of all the lines of action and gravity is substantially overand along the longitudinal center line of the platform or'support. Wherethe support is a floating barge, we are thus enabled to do the workdescribed with a much lighter barge having a minimum draft and of muchsmaller dimensions, yet so little affected by the shifting loads due tooperation as not to interfere with the inclination of the sluices, andconsequently their successful op (No model.)

eration. The light barge and our system of excavation permit the use oflight lines to control the movement of the barge, making it-quick andhandy in movement.

Inasmuch as the principal application of our invention contemplated byus is in the raising and transporting of auriferous sand and gravel fromthe beds of rivers and streams by means of hoisting and sluicingapparatus carried and supported on a floating barge, we have illustratedthe platform or support as a barge, and in the following descriptionshall describe our invention in connection with its peculiar andadvantageous (but not exclusive) adaptability to a floating barge.

WVe prefer to use the grab or grapple de scribed in our application forLetters Patent filed March 29, 1897, Serial No. 629,740; but we do notwish to be limited to this form, as our apparatus is adapted to any formof grapple. This form of excavator from its nature communicates to thebarge only a vertical strain acting through its point of suspension. Itistherefore not necessary in our invention toprovide for resisting thedigging energy of the excavators either by spuds or by the linesattached to anchors for moving the barge. I The grab in loading isalways in .the same relative position to the end of the barge, As weprovide for. the certain and Constant movement of the barge and cansecure a different location fromwhich each successive load is taken, weare able to be certain of the systematic cleaning, of bed-rock inauriferous placer-mining.

Another object of our invention is to enhance the speed in operation. Wetherefore provide mechanism by means of which the excavator is closed,raised to the desired height, and moved rearwardly by the singlecontinued action of the engine. At the same time we bring to a minimumthe distance the excavatorvmust travel to move the material from itsnatural position to a point above the hopper or other receptacle whereit may be treated as desired. Likewise as the movement is direct and theexcavator is close to the boom at the time of lateral movement anddumping lost motion or swing is eliminated, making it feasible and safeto move the boom with great rapidity.

To accomplish the above objects our invention consists of certainfeatures of novelty hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I represents a general view inperspective of the apparatus, showing position of boom at which theexcavator is raised and lowered. Fig. II represents a like perspectiveview showing position of boom as it carries the excavator over thehopper. Fig. III represents a detail elevation of the rocker-foot of theboom. Fig. IV represents a detail ele- Vation of the feed-shutters overthe hopper. Fig. V represents a detail elevation of the mechanism formoving the barge; and Fig. VI shows in elevation the worms, thewormgears, and spools used for moving the barge.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 designates a suitable platform or support, here shown as a floatingbarge, supporting the whole apparatus and anchored by thelines 2 2" 2.The lines 2, 2, and 2 are connected with suitable stationary objects onthe land in the usual manner and inboard passing over the guide-pulleys25 26 27, respectively, are each wrapped several times around spools 2526 27 for the purposes hereinafter mentioned.

3 represents a generally upright frame erected at the forward end of thebarge and substantially centrally of such end upon which is mounted ahopper 4:.

5 represents a sluice communicating with the bottom of the hopper andextending rearwardly longitudinally over the barge and to some distancebeyond the stern and provided withthe customary appliances forgold-saving, The hopper is provided at, or near its top with thehorizontal shutters or feed-doors 6, (shown in detailin Fig. IV,) theuse of which will appear later. Each of said doors is independent andmay be separately and independently operated by a handle 7.

8 represents a pump discharging into the hopper to furnish the water forsluicing.

9 represents a boom provided with a rockerfoot to rock on the deck. Asshown in Fig. III, this rocker-foot is prevented from slipping orcreeping by the straps 11 and 12, attached at one end to the rocker andat the other end to the deck. At the upper and outer end of the boom aremounted the'sheaves 13 and 14 on the head of the boom, carrying,respectively, the opening-lines 15 and the closing-lines 16 to theexcavator. Said closing-lines 16 passing over the leading sheaves 17 andthe opening-lines 15 passing over the leading sheaves 18, mounted on theframe 3,

are connected with the drum 19 for the open-- ing-lines and 20 for theclosing-lines. The said drums are arranged to be operated by the engine21 by friction-clutches and are provided with brakes. It will be notedthat the leading sheaves 17 18 are located between the head of the boomand the drums and are so related in position to the foot of the boom andto the sheaves 13 14 on the head of the boom that the strains along thelines 15 16 almost counterbalance the weight of the boom. This locationof the leading sheaves 17 and 18 may vary somewhat with the length andweight of the boom and the location of the rocker-foot; but it should besuch that the inner angle comprehended between the line from the head ofthe boom to the leading sheaves and the line from the head of the boomto its point of support shall be slightly greater in all operativepositions of the boom than the angle comprehended between thislast-named line and the line from the head of the boom to the excavator.The result and advantage of this arrangement is that the pull on thelines to raise the excavator being very little less than the pullrequired to rock the boom and swing the excavator over the hopper afterthe excavator has been raised the boom is, as it were, substantiallybalanced between the lines of force, and consequently there is noappreciable shock when the excavator strikes the boom to begin itsinward movement. In practice the sheaves are adjusted to such positionthat in action theshock or strain on the parts at the moment when theboom is called on to raise is minimized. Upon the lines 15 16 is hungthe excavator 23; v

2 1 represents a' boiler from which steam is supplied to operate theengine and the pump.

I In operation the barge being anchored in the desired location by thelines 2 2 2" to suitable stationary objects the excavator is lowered bythe opening-lines 15 to the point in advance of the barge from which theload is to be taken. The power is' then transferred to the closing-lines16. The excavator is closed and the load taken, and by the continuedaction of the lines 16, which have now become the lifting-lines, theexcavator is elevated until the boom is reached, when, as the said linescontinue to act, the boom is moved inwardly toward and finally to theposition shown in Fig. II, bringing the excavator over the hopper, whenit is dumped by releasing the closing-lines and holding theopeninglines. The opening-lines are then paid out by the brake on thedrum 19, whereupon the boom moves outwardly and downwardly toward andfinally to the position shown in Fig. I. Check-lines 25 then act torestrain the boom from descending farther. The continued release of theopening-lines causes the excavator teams to descend open and in acondition to take another lead and repeat the operation. It will beobserved, further, that the path of the excavator after it is raised tothe boom-head in its movement as the boom rocks to bring the excavatorover the hopper is along a line in the vertical plane of the boomsmovement, which plane is substantially coincident with the longitudinalcentral vertical plane of the barge. Also it will be seen that bylocating and arranging the parts as above set forth the excavator iselevated by drawing in on the closing-lines 16 until the excavator israised up to and strikes the head of the boom in its outer or lowerposition, as shown in Fig. I. Then by continued direct pull in the samedirection on said closinglines the boom is rocked, carrying theexcavator rearwardly inward in the vertical plane of the upward andinward swing of the-boom to and over the hopper, as shown in Fig. I.This action of rocking the boom by the direct continued pull on theexcavator-lines 'to carry the excavator inwardly in the vertical planeof the booms movement to and overthe hopper is so far as We are awarenew in the art.

When the load is dumped into the hopper, it is often undesirable thatthe full amount thereof should be at once admitted to the sluice. Theshutters or feed-doors 6 are located horizontally across the mouth ofthe hopper, being mounted on shafts extending transversely across thesame, and are of such number and size as'to when closed occupy or fillup the greater part of the mouth of the hopper, but leaving a spacebetween the adjacent doors through which a part of the material willfall, while the doors serve to intercept the bulk of the load. By meansof the handle 7 these shutters may be operated so as to admit to thesluice such amounts of material as can be properly acted upon by thewater supplied by the pumps.

In order to move the apparatus in any desired direction in a regularmanner where mounted on a barge or like floating support, we providethree spools 25 26 2 7, to which are fed the lines 2, 2, and 2respectively. Each line is passed around its spool several times, sothat when the spool is rotated it frictionally takes up and gives outthe line, thereby moving the barge. As shown in Fig. V, each spool isindependently connected by suitable reversible gearing with the shaft ofthe drum 19,so that each spool may be operated independently of orsimultaneously with the others to move either end of the barge ortheentire barge as may be desired or to hold the barge stationary as thework proceeds, the mechanism being so related and proportioned that whendesired the barge may be moved a definite distance in any direction witheach stroke of the engine. By thus connecting the anchorlines with thedrum by which the excavatorlines are operated the location of the bargemay be shifted a definite determinate distance synchronously with themovement of the excavator, so that each load of the excavator may betaken with a definite determinatc relation to the preceding load, whicharrangement and synchronous operation is of very great advantage incleaning up bed-rock which is out of View underthe water, and it isthence known that no portion of the bed-rock escapes the action of theexcavator. This arrangement is also of very great advantage in gradingthe bottom of rivers or other water ways, as by thus synchronouslymoving the barge and operating the excavator the successive cuts of theexcavator will be made on the same level, and the grade maintained, andthe bottom not cut up with holes or left with hills and bumps.

\Vhile we have in the accompanying drawings illustrated our invention asapplied to a barge, it will be readily seen and understood that theprimary features of our invention are entirely independent of theparticular character of the support upon which they are mounted andoperated. Hence we desire to treat the floating barge herein illustratedin interpreting and construing the generic character and features of ourinvention simply as a convenient and typical form of platform or supportupon which the apparatus embodying such generic features of ourinvention is carried and operates. Certain minor and more specilicfeatures of our invention relate to the means for automaticallyadvancing or otherwise moving the barge synchronously with the operationof the excavator, and hence in such detailed and restrictedcontemplation of our invention the underlying support in the characterof a floating barge constitutes a cooperating element of our inventionbearing an intimate relation to the excavator and its hoisting andswinging mechanism; but, as

hereinabove stated, in its generic aspect the apparatus embodying ourpresent invention is independent of any particular character of supporton which it is carried and operates, and hence we do not limit ourselvesin the carrying out of our invention to its use on a barge, except in sofar as the latter is made a coordinate and cooperating element ofcertain of the claims hereinafter appended.

We claim as our invention 1. In an apparatus of the character described,the combination with a suitable platform, of a boom swinging thereon onrockers, an excavator suspended from said boom, and actuating devicesfor said excavator which by a continued movement first raise theexcavator and subsequently move it, with the boom, in-

wardly over the platform in substantially the vertical plane of thebooms movement, substantially as and for the purposes described. 2. Inan apparatus of the character described, the combination with a suitableplatform of a boom swinging thereon on rockers, an excavator suspendedfrom said boom, and hoisting-cables for said excavator passing over andin rear of said boom, which, by a continued pull first raise theexcavator, and subsequently rock it with the boom inwardly over theplatform in substantially the vertical plane of the booms movement,substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asuitable platform and a receiving-hopper mounted thereon, of a boomhaving rocker-feet also mounted on the platform and so located thereonthat its head may be rocked directly over the hopper, an excavatorsuspended from said boom by hoisting-cables which pass over the head ofthe boom, the parts being so relatively arranged and disposed that acontinued pull on the hoisting-cables raises the excavator to the headof the boom and then swings both inwardly over the hopper in thevertical plane of the booms rocking movement, substantially asdescribed. 4. In an apparatus for raising and sluicing gravel from thebeds of auriferous streams,the combination with a floating barge and ahopper and sluice-trough mounted thereon, of a rocking-boom also mountedon the barge and straddling the hopper, a hoisting-engine disposed onthe barge in rear of the hopper,hoist ing-cables passing from saidengine over the head of the boom, and an excavator suspended by saidcables, the excavator being raised and swung inwardly over the hopper bya single continued pull of the hoisting-cables which first raises theexcavator-and then rocks the boom, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described,the combination with arocking boom, a hoisting-cable running over the free end thereof, and anexcavator suspended therefrom, of guides for the cable in rear of theboom and so placed as that the angle comprehended between the lines fromthe head of the boom to said guides and to the booms point of supportshall be slightly greater in all operative positions of the boom thanthe angle comprehended between the lines from the head of the boom tothe excavator and to the booms point of support, thereby minimizingshock when the excavator strikes the head of the boom and swingsinwardly therewith,substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with asuitable support, of a rocking boom carried thereon and provided withcable-guiding sheaves mounted in its head, a hoisting-drum, anexcavator, a

hoisting-cable connecting said excavator with the hoisting-drum andpassing over said guidesheaves, and other guide-sheaves for thehoisting-cable located between the head of the boom and thehoisting-drum, and serving to maintain the cable at an angle with a linedrawn from the head of the boom to its point of support which isconstantly slightly greater than the angle comprehended between saidlastnamed line and that portion of the cable by which the excavator issuspended from the boom, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an apparatus for raising and sluicing auriferous sand, gravel andthe like, the combination with a barge and a hopperand sluicetroughmounted thereon, of a rocking boom resting onsaid barge and straddlingthe hopper, said boom being provided with guidesheaves in its head,awinding-drum and means for operating the same disposed in rear of thehopper, an excavator and a hoisting-cable therefor passing over saidguide-sheaves and connected to said drum, whereby, when the drum isoperated the excavator is first raised and subsequently swung inwardlywith the boom and in the vertical plane of the booms movement todischarging position over the hopper, and a pump arranged to dischargeinto the hopper at or near the bottom thereof, substantially asdescribed. v

8. In an apparatus for raising and sluicing auriferous gravel and thelike, the combination with a barge of a rocking boom mounted thereon andcarrying suitable guide-sheaves mounted in its head, an excavator,opening and closing cables passing over said sheaves for operating theexcavator, mechanism for operating said cables to raise and lower theexcavator, and mechanism drivenby the same power that operates theexcavator for effecting the travel of the barge proportionately to thework of the excavator, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus for raising and sluicing auriferous gravel and thelike, the combination with a barge and a rocking boom having suitableguide-sheaves mounted in its head and supported on said barge, and agravel-receptacle also carried on the barge, of an excavator, openingand closing cables passing over said guide-sheaves for operating theexcavatonmeans for operating said cables, spools mounted on the barge,and anchor-lines passing around said spools and connected with andoperated by the means for operating the excavator cables, whereby thetravel of the barge is controlled synchronously and proportionately withthe operation of the excavator, substantially as described.

7 10. In an apparatus for raising and sluicing auriferous gravel and thelike, the combination with abarge, of a hopper and sluicetroughsupported thereon, a rocking boom therewith, and connected at their endsto suitable objects on the shore, whereby the travel of the barge iscontrolled synchronously and proportionately with the operation of theex- 5 cavator, substantially as described.

FRANK K. HOOVER. ARTHUR J. MASON.

Witnesses:

O. E. KOONS, J. W. HOOVER.

